Rodriguez, Ward get off cheap for roughhouse tactics

Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez had one big $200,000 bite taken out of his fight purse last Saturday night, but the California State Athletic Commission decided to take only another nibble.

Rodriguez, the previously undefeated Worcester super middleweight, and WBA champion Andre Ward were fined $2,500 each by the CSAC on Tuesday for their fourth-round high jinks during their 12-round bout televised live by HBO from Ontario, Calif.

Ward, unbeaten at 27-0, scored a lopsided decision over Rodriguez (24-1-0), who was fined 20 percent of his $1 million purse for failing to make weight for the fight. Rodriguez weighed 170, or two pounds over the division limit of 168, and was fined when he chose not to make a second attempt at the weight two hours later, as required.

Referee Jack Reiss penalized both fighters two points for grabbing, holding and hitting after he separated them in Round 4. Claiming he was punched during the illegal exchange, Reiss also recommended to CSAC officials at ringside that both fighters be fined, saying, "You decide the amount."

Andy Foster, executive officer of the CSAC, disclosed the amount on Tuesday in a telephone call to the Telegram & Gazette.

Foster said the $2,500 fines were not withheld from the purses, but that both fighters must pay them to be removed from administrative suspension by the CSAC.

Asked if the WBA could increase the amount, Foster said the commission would have to approve, and that it would not.

"The State of California," he said, "won't allow Mr. Rodriguez to be fined anymore. We think that's plenty of a fine. ... This is it."

Foster was referring to the $200,000 fine over the weight issue, half of which went to the CSAC and the other half to Ward, bringing his share of the purse to an even $2 million.

Rodriguez's final paycheck, after fines, will be considerably less than $797,500.

Because his promoter, Lou DiBella, was not the primary promoter of the fight, he reportedly gets 25 percent right off the top, or $250,000. That's in addition to 15 percent ($150,000) for manager Al Haymon, 10 percent ($100,000) for trainer Ronnie Shields, 3 percent ($30,000) for strength and conditioning coach Danny Arnold, and 3 percent ($30,000) for the new cut man, who replaced the fired Dave Tenny.

If those percentages, based on his previous fight, are accurate, it all adds up to $762,500, which leaves Rodriguez with $237,500 — before taxes. And he could be in an obscenely high tax bracket after his lucrative year, which included $750,000 in Monaco purses.